


One Last Request

by aviselan (lunairetic)



Series: Ava Lavellan Drabbles [2]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Gen, Grief, Post-Trespasser, Trespasser Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-30 02:04:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5146220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunairetic/pseuds/aviselan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ava is found grieving after the events of Trespasser, but before the Exalted Council concludes. She gets an unexpected visit from someone she didn't think to see again, and has one final message to deliver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Last Request

She wouldn’t look at them when they found her. Wouldn’t answer them when the questioned her. Wouldn’t respond when they asked if she was alright. She screamed only when they cleaned the wreck of her arm.

Ava slept for near a week after the mess with the Qunari. The Exalted council had been postponed until she was well enough to make an appearance. Even after waking, she wouldn’t speak. Dorian came to speak with her, to see how his friend was doing. Not well, he gathered, but maybe he could get her to confide in him. Their usual drink for the bad times was left untouched. Dorian nearly drank the entire bottle himself, but left a glass for her after a few hours of no response. He placed a kiss on her head and whispered, saying that if she needed him, he’d be there for her in a heartbeat. The calling crystal was left on her bedside.

The others came to check on her periodically. Cassandra sat in silence, unsure of what to say.  Varric sat in her room and read quietly, patiently waiting until she was ready to talk. Thom left a small carved gryphon next to her. Bull brought the Chargers to see her, trying to cheer her up. She was so sullen that Krem took it upon himself to kick everyone out, while Grim took note of how her wound was healing. Vivienne sent gifts, respecting her space and the need to process everything that had happened. Sera came in and grumbled apologies for what happened, but left quickly.

Her advisors knew to leave her alone, though Josephine would come and check on her every once in a while. Cullen visited with his Mabari, but even that wouldn’t get much of a response out of her. They kept reassuring her that the council was put off and she would be given plenty of time to recover, given what had happened.

Cole appeared when no one else was there, and sat with her on the bed, holding her good hand. She cried when Cole was with her, burying her face into his torso. He wouldn’t say anything, only stayed for as long as he was needed, and when she slept, he went away.

This continued for several days. Cole would stay with Ava until she cried herself to sleep, and would be there when she woke.

The next day, Ava woke up to find that Cole was not with her. Panic gripped her chest and she tried to reach for her chest with her left hand. It was lighter and she was thrown off balance by trying to use an arm that was no longer there. Her panic deepened, closing her throat.

“Cole?” Her voice was scratchy, parched and dry. She hadn’t spoken in nearly a fortnight, the only sounds that she’d make were those of her sobs into Cole’s shirt.

He didn’t respond, though he could probably sense her need for him. She only had to calm herself. Calm, deep breaths.

It wasn’t working. It gripped at the edges of her mind like cloth unraveling, a white noise screaming in her thoughts. She was screaming quietly in her head and she just couldn’t. Shut. It. Off.

Her bed sank as Cole crawled on top, wrapping his arms around her.

“I am sorry. He left her here, watching, waiting, wondering. She was only meant to stay until she woke. New orders. Is she well? Now he wonders, wanting safety. Soothing the hurt, stroking, salving, safe, she is safe. He can’t, so she stays.”

Ava was confused, his voice cutting through the screaming in her head. She stared at him long, trying to parse the meaning behind his words. She was so distressed that the words were slipping in her mind, and she couldn’t place a meaning behind them that would make sense to her.

The door to her room opened, but it went unnoticed. A crop of silver hair peaked through the opening as if surveying for anything volatile. A small elven girl stepped into the room, wearing Inquisition scout armor. She looked over at Ava and stilled for a moment before looking to Cole, who made eye contact with her.

“He wishes to hear her voice again, laughing. Fingers through her hair, smiling. He sings, longing. She will tell him, and sorrow grows, roots digging deep, down, dark. All new, faded for her.”

Ava notices that there was someone else in the room with her, besides Cole. She looked over to the door and froze.

It was the same agent who led them to the Qunari body, who caught the servant with the Gaatlok. The same one worked for him, double-crossing, reporting, sneaking.

Her last chance of communicating with him.

“You…” The agent looked as though she was ready to bolt. There had been no orders to speak with the Inquisitor. She wasn’t supposed to be here.

“She only wishes to give one last message. Stay. Please. It will help her heal.” Cole pleaded with the smaller elf.

“I-I was only to check on you then leave. What do you wish to say, Inquisitor?” The agent’s voice tremored to start, but grew steady.

“You will see him again, correct? Solas?” Ava’s eyes bore into the other elf’s.

“Aye, worship.”

Ava squeezed Cole’s hand.

“I.. would like some method of speaking to him. Not to spy, I only wish to hear him again. If that is possible.”

The agent looked uncertain of how to respond.

“I may… bring up the request with him, m’lady. Though,” She paused, not knowing how to continue.

“Though, what?” she said. Her panic had tempered, though it was still present. Why wouldn’t he.. oh, right.

“It would compromise his integrity, wouldn’t it?” Ava’s expression soured, bitter.  She turned away. “Of fucking course.” She wanted to punch something. She wanted to scream, but she was so so tired.

“Aye, m’lady. I can still bring the message to him, if that pleases you?” The agent felt sorry for her lord and his lover. She had heard that the Inquisitor had wanted to help with his plan, but he refused. It was out of sheer stubbornness that he wouldn’t let her come along. Or perhaps it was out of concern for her. She couldn’t begin to guess Fen’Harel’s motivations for not letting the Inquisitor join them. From what she had heard, Ava had clearly shared similar goals to him.

“Please. And there is one more thing that I would ask of you.” Ava was sure this request would ruin her in the end. She looked over at Cole. “If you could, please.”

He nodded and slid a dagger through her hair. Two braids. She kept one, and Cole wove the other into a small band like she had shown him before. She took the band from Cole and held it out to the agent.

“Take this to him. He will know it. Do not give it to anyone else but him.”

The agent delicately took the woven band of red hair. It was braided into a knot that she was familiar with from childhood stories. She took an empty bag from her belt, and slipped it inside.

“I will be sure that this is delivered only to the hands of Lord Fen’harel himself.” Thinking she was done, the agent bowed respectfully and made to leave. Ava’s voice stopped her just shy of the door.

“Lafael, I apologize, there is one more thing that I must ask of you.” The sound of her name startled her. She was unaware that the Inquisitor knew about her at all, let alone her name. “You must.. promise me. Promise me that you will protect him, no matter the cost. At least, until I can see him once more.”

Lafael turned, but Ava was no longer looking at her. She had fallen back into the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Cole sat and stroked the newly cut hair away from her face. She wasn’t sure how well she could keep the promise, but she could certainly try. It was part of their mission, after all.

“I will, m’lady.”

She absently touched the pouch with the lover’s knot. Perhaps they would be able to be together once again.


End file.
